1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing data. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing part standard geometry in one or more computer aided design systems in a part management environment.
2. Background
Computer aided design involves the use of computers or other data processing systems to aid in the design of a product. These types of designs may include two-dimensional vector based drafting systems and three-dimensional solid and surface modeling programs. Computer aided design systems are used to design, develop, and optimize products. These types of systems are typically used for detailed engineering of three-dimensional and/or two-dimensional drawings of physical components.
Computer aided design programs are commonly used in aerospace manufacturing to produce various products such as aircraft, space vehicles, aircraft engines, and other related components. Computer aided design programs allow designers or engineers to layout and develop various designs and products on a screen. These designs may be saved for future use and/or editing.
In designing products, libraries of components or parts are commonly present in a computer aided design system. Within organizations using multiple computer aided design systems, a duplication of standard shapes may occur within each different computer aided design system. For example, a company may use a program, such as Catia, which is available from Dassault Systemes, S.A. The same company also may use AutoCAD, which is available from Autodesk, Inc.
Each of these computer aided design applications may include duplicates of data for different parts or shapes within each system. If the organization first uses an AutoCAD computer aided design system and then adds a Catia computer aided design system, the library of parts in the AutoCAD system are reproduced or created again for a library through the Catia system.
This situation requires time, expense, and resources to recreate the standard parts used in the first computer aided design program for use in the second computer aided design program. This type of process typically requires personnel to transfer the data from one platform to another platform. In other words, time and effort is needed to re-enter the data from one platform to another platform.
Oftentimes, these parts include information in addition to the shape or physical model. This information may include, for example, attributes describing the particular model. For example, a part for a bolt includes, for example, information about the size of the bolt, material, a product number, and a manufacturer. This type of information typically has to be re-entered when recreating the part for another platform.
Further, when new parts are recreated, those parts are created for each platform within an organization or company. As the number of parts increase and the number of platforms increase, this problem is compounded and increases in complexity. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that overcomes the above-described problems.